more info about shingles..?

vanessa · Regular Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 21

Hi everyone, i was hoping someone could help me. I read the post about shingles below and i never had them before but not too long ago the nurse was warning me about them and trying to stay away from young people because when your immune system is low you can get it. My immune system is low right now and im suppose to be isolated for two weeks and not be around younger children and in public places. ( I have been doing pretty good but im not going to lie i have been going out here and there once in a while but ive been trying to be careful and ive been using hand santizers.) Anway my question is how do you know if have shingles? I know its kind of like a rash and its all red and can be painful. I never thought anything of it i just thought i was breaking out because the doctor told me i might with the treatment im on. I am breaking out but all on my right shoulder (im not sure what it is or if im just breaking out or what?) but i have red dots everywhere and at times it blisters and then i check on it and its not blistering? and some are kinda of white. But mine dont hurt so im wondering if its just from the treatment. I dont want to go to the doctor because its not bothering at times i itch it but nothing too bad its not painful just gross looking. So i dont know what to do becausee im not sure if it is shingles and i go back for chemo on the 23rd so i dont want to bother going to the doctor...but i also know if it is shingles your suppose to get it checked within two days to get it treated? Anyway im probably just being paranoid but any advice would be appreciated thank you.
*vanessa*

studybug · Regular Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for 3-5 days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called dermatomal pattern). The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters. Generally, only one nerve level is involved. In a rare case, more than one nerve will be involved. Eventually, the blisters pop and the area starts to ooze. The area will then crust over and heal. The whole process may take 3-4 weeks from start to finish. On occasion, the pain will be present but the blisters may never appear. This can be a very confusing cause of local pain!
Not sure if this helps, I know my mom had them and they hurt quite a bit. Also, I think they are only on one side of the body.
Studybug

SHANELLE85 · Regular Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 31

Hi vanessa
i was 20 when i was diagnosed with hodgkins in nov 2005 and just last month i finish my treatment, but i did develop shingles in early april of this year on my eyelid following the nerve up to my scalp. i first noticed something was wrong because my eyelid was very sensitive and then i began to get really bad shooting pains going through my eye and forehead/scalp. Luckily i got treated for it in the first 2 days of having the shingles, because the antiviral drugs really cut down the severity of all the symptoms from pain to the blistering.
I think if you were to have shingles, you would have very bad pain as one of your symptoms but i think it would be a good idea to get it checked anyway.. its always good to be on the safe side because the last thing you want with chemo is shingles.. not a good combo!
Hope this helps
good luck with your treatment!
-shanelle Smile

hnasc · New User Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Alabama

I agree that shingles is usually extremely painful. My mom had it and she suffered a lot. She did for a long time after the outbreaks ended. I would definitely rule out shingles with your doctor if it were me.

I read some comments about alternative medicine and am not sure whether to say this or not but if it's inappropriate, let me know. I am not selling anything, just sharing information.

One thing that has helped my mom keep from having shingles outbreaks is that she uses tea tree oil on the areas where the outbreaks happened before. She dilutes a few drops in olive oil and applies. I also have had good success using tea tree oil when I feel like I'm about to get fever blisters, which are caused by another strain of the same virus that causes shingles. From what I've read, teatree oil will kill the herpes virus at the skin and, I can't say for sure that's what has kept her shingles free but I have to believe it has helped.

I'm not sure about the blisters looking white though....that doesn't really sound like shingles but I still wouldn't rule it out.

vanessa · Regular Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 21

Thanks guys for the replies it was helpful, i still dont really know what it is but its not bothering me so im not too worried but i just thought i would check with other people because i know if you do get shingles it should be treated right away. I will wait til friday when i go for my next treatment and get it checked out. Thanks once again for the advice, and i will remember that incase i do get shinles or even to help prevent it with the tea tree oil. Thanks
-vanessa

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